


Looking for Someone

by Pepperminty (PeppermintPug)



Category: Big Hero 6 (2014)
Genre: Aged-Up Hiro, Alcohol, Alternate Universe, Bartender Hiro, Hiro Hamada & Tadashi Hamada are Not Related, M/M, Tags Are Hard, eventual hidashi, i'll add more later
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-15
Updated: 2015-03-01
Packaged: 2018-03-12 23:53:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,255
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3359954
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PeppermintPug/pseuds/Pepperminty
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After another upsetting break up Tadashi begins to wonder if he should stop dating. When his pals drag him into a local club he meets someone who might just change his mind.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Someone he wouldn't normally consider

**Author's Note:**

> So this is that fic I mentioned in Not So Secrets. I'm finally putting it up although I don't have as much buffer as I wanted to lol  
> I'm having trouble with my keyboard for some unknown reason though. Several of my keys randomly decide to stop working at times which makes it difficult to write. @ ___ @; As such, I don't know how often I'll have new chapters after the buffer's up. Hopefully I'll be able to take it in soon.
> 
> Unbeta'd as always. I don't own Big Hero 6, any of its characters or parts.

It had been a rough week for Tadashi Hamada. Two short conversations and an even shorter phone call had ended his third relationship in the past two months. He was beginning to think he just wasn't cut out for the whole dating thing.

On top of his breakup, he'd made the mistake of letting his friends catch him moping about in his lab and the group decided he needed a night off. He had insisted otherwise, but the four refused to believe him.

A few days later he found himself dragged into a club that had grown rather popular since its re-opening a few weeks ago. The place seemed rather nice, excluding the stifling heat radiating from the crowd. He could already feel the sweat beading at the back of his neck. He was about to attempt a tactical retreat when he felt a gentle touch on his shoulder.

"Remember Tadashi," came a soft voice hardly audible over the heavy bass booming through the speakers. Honey Lemon. "We're not here to force you to do anything you don't want to. We're just trying to have a good time together." She gave Tadashi a reassuring smile. "If you would rather we go someplace else-"

"Nah, he's good," came another, louder, voice from the opposite side. Gogo seemed to mirror Honey Lemon's gesture, only not so gentle. Tadashi's hand raised to rub at the bruise he could already feel starting after Gogo's punch as he gave Honey a small smile. The look on her face sparked a bit of guilt inside him. His friends were just trying to cheer him up after all. He supposed he could enjoy the opportunity they'd given him to unwind.

"Thanks Honey, but this place is fine," he reluctantly agreed.

"Okay, so first stop: the bar for your drinks and," Wasabi, the designated driver of the group, spoke, "my coke. Then-"

"The dance floor!" Fred exclaimed as he ran for the floor, pushing through the crowd to get to the center. Wasabi rolled his eyes and Honey giggled as they made their way to the bar. 

\--

Half an hour later, Tadashi had finally convinced the gang that he'd join them on the floor after he polished off his glass. It was cooler at the bar; most of the patrons being in the center of the club.

There he sat nursing his drink as he scanned the crowd for his friends. He spotted Honey in no time. The woman would likely tower over half of the others on the floor if not for their heels. Beside her was Gogo. Dancing rather close he thought, chuckling to himself. He would have missed her if she wasn't with Honey. 

Fred was easy enough to spot; still at the center doing some strange looking dance. Something from an anime opening no doubt.

Wasabi had eluded his sight for some time until he noticed the man chatting it up with another against the wall. Their faces appeared flushed from dancing, or from the conversation. He had no idea.

Must be nice.

"Looking for someone?" 

"Nah, just watching some friends." Tadashi turned to face the unfamiliar voice, expecting company in the seat beside him. He found the chair empty to his surprise, and the bartender standing across from him. His immediate thought was that the young? man didn't look old enough to be tending a bar in any club. He looked to be a few inches taller than Gogo with raven hair so messy Tadashi was sure things could get lost in it.

Like bobby pins, or hair ties... or fingers- 

His suspicion must have shown on his face and the other gave him a rather confident smirk.

"Don't think I'm old enough to work here, do you? I get that a lot." The barkeep leaned forward on his elbows and cupped a hand to his cheek, speaking so low that Tadashi had to strain his ears to hear. "Technically speaking, I'm not. Its just a temp job for some extra cash." He pulled back and gave Tadashi a wink. "But let's just keep that between you and me, huh?"

"Right..." Tadashi replied, unable to hold back the grin tugging at the corner of his lips. This kid (he decided) was somewhere between overconfident and wreckless and he couldn't help his amusement.

"So tell me. What's a handsome nerd like yourself- you look like a nerd- doin playing the wall flower?" Giving a nonchalant wave of his hand, the younger male gestured to Tadashi with a look of slight disapproval. 

Of all the words he'd just heard, Tadashi's mind had chosen to solo in on 'handsome.' It was clear that the alcohol in his drink had begun to affect him. He shoved the thought aside and replied.

"Well," he paused to make out the name scrawled on the kid's name tag. "Hiro, I wouldn't want to bore you with this nerd's life's story-"

"Dude. Please. I am a bartender. Listening to boring life stories is part of my job." The two shared a laugh before Hiro prompted Tadashi to continue. "What's on your mind, nerd?"

"Well, I just got dumped a couple days ago. Over the phone even," he explained, a frown settled on his lips.

"Ouch." Hiro winced.

"Yeah," Tadashi nodded as his thumb traced the rim of his glass idly. "I just don't think dating is for me." He gave a small sigh before jerking his head towards the dance floor behind him. "My friends caught me sulking and dragged me out of the lab for a break." 

"Ha! I knew you were a nerd." Hiro laughed sharply as a triumphant grin spread across his face. Tadashi snorted and rolled his eyes, fixing Hiro with a pointed look that questioned his age.

Despite the low lighting in the club he could see a gap between Hiro's front teeth. The physical trait seemed to fit on the kid's rounded face. It made him appear even more impish than Tadashi had originally thought.

"Seriously though," the playful tone faded from Hiro's voice as he spoke. "It sounds like you've got yourself some great friends. And, hey, maybe you just haven't found the right person yet." Shrugging his shoulders, Hiro waved a hand towards the crowd. "Take a look around. Anyone catch your eye?" Tadashi groaned inwardly and pushed himself around to survey the crowd.

"Not particularly." He admitted rather quickly, not bothering to look. He was more than happy sitting there alone for the moment. Not to mention he was rather enjoying Hiro's company.

"Got some pretty high standards, huh?" Hiro crossed his arms and gave Tadashi an unamused frown. "Tell you what. I'll give you two drinks on the house. You can either drink them both yourself, or you can give one to someone else as an ice breaker." 

"No, Hiro, you really don't have to-"

"Nope. Can't talk now. I got an order of two drinks for a nerd that I gotta focus on. While I do that though, try looking for someone that you wouldn't normally consider. Shake things up a little. You'd be surprised what you can find when you look for a new angle." With that, Hiro sauntered away.

Tadashi admittedly spent the whole time watching Hiro work. The ease at which the younger man's hands worked had Tadashi thinking they handled things other than glass bottles fairly often. It was about ten minutes before Hiro returned to drop off the drinks. He mumbled something about annoying frat boys and their complicated orders. With a scowl, he crossed to the opposite side of the bar again to tend to other customers, leaving Tadashi alone to ponder his words.

Someone he wouldn't normally consider huh...


	2. No law against coffee

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here you are. Chapter two!   
> Thanks for the kudos and comments so far! <3
> 
> Unbeta'd and all that.

After finishing off a drink and a half Tadashi was really feeling the substance coursing through his veins. His friends had come back to check on him only to find that he still hadn't finished his first drink (at least to their knowledge,) and they clicked their tongues at him. It was getting to be late and, though the bar would remain open til 3 am, they had things to do the next day. Tadashi declared they leave without him, doing his best not let on that he was a little drunk (maybe more than a little), and promised that he'd catch a cab when he left. The group hesitated for a moment, varying levels of suspicion on their faces, before departing.

He was glad he stayed considering he could swear he saw Heathcliff show up to escort Fred and the girls out. Wasabi left with the same person he'd been talking to earlier.

"Good luck, man," he mumbled beneath his breath.

"Wow. You- Did you even hear what I said, nerd?" Hiro griped as he walked over. Tadashi looked down and swirled the liquid in the glass he held in his hand.

"Guess not." 

"Guess not," Hiro repeated as he rolled his eyes. "Say, where are your friends? Shouldn't they be encouraging you to get your ass off that stool?" He made a show of leaning over the counter to look for them.

"They left. Told them to. 'M having a nice time sitting right here," Tadashi replied as he leaned to the side and pointed to the seat beneath him, which probably wasn't a good idea because he had to grab the counter to set himself right again.

"Having a nice time sitting here. Alone." Hiro repeated him again in a deadpan tone as he raised an eyebrow in clear disbelief.

"Yea. See, I thought about what you said. An' I realized there is someone. Only thing is... I don't think I could have given this drink to them." He lifted the half empty glass between them, waving it around. He knew what he was doing could completely backfire on him, but the liquid courage in his system spurred him on. His eyes met Hiro's, warm brown in color, almost like toffee, before raising the drink to his lips to take a sip. 

"And why is that?" Hiro asked leaning his crossed arms against the counter top looking even more skeptical.

"Don't think he's old enough." Tadashi didn't know why, but he laughed. Setting the glass down, he watched Hiro's face waiting for a reaction.

"He shouldn't be in a bar if he's not-" Hiro began, only to stop mid sentence.

There it was.

Tadashi watched as Hiro's eyes grew wide in realization. His mouth hung open for a brief moment, revealing that cute gap, before he nearly snapped it shut. "Oh." What he did next caught Tadashi by surprise. He blushed.

It was a little difficult to make out, but he blushed! 

Tadashi swore his heart had skipped a beat. Inside him sparked a desire to see that deep shade of red grace Hiro's cheeks under better lighting and he averted his gaze out of self-consciousness. 

"Y-Yeah..." It was then that he felt the heat in his own cheeks. Whether it was from the alcohol, or his own embarrassment he had no idea. He glanced at the bartender and immediately his heart skipped another beat. Hiro was looking anywhere but at him, biting his lip as he rubbed his arm in shyness. Could he get anymore adorable? Sheesh. "But I don't know how old he is, so's I don't know if it'd even be okay. Like, law wise. Legalagly- Legly-"

"Legally." Hiro provided plainly.

"Yeah."

"Depends on which state you're in." 

"S'at so? Well then, I guess... this one?"

"Technically no. Not for another three and a half years." 

Hiro had to be seventeen then, with the drinking age in San Fransokyo being twenty-one. Assuming he did the math correctly in his inebriated state.

"So, he's too young for drinking. But there's no law against, I dunno... Coffee?" He gave the teen a hopeful smile, doing his best to look genuine despite the three drinks he'd had.

"I dunno... I don't usually," Hiro began, still avoiding Tadashi's gaze as he ran a hand through his fringe. "I mean, I'm sure _he_ doesn't usually date customers," he corrected himself. Tadashi felt his heart sink. "Let alone nerds," Hiro added with a small laugh, further dragging Tadashi's heart down into his stomach.

Whelp. It was worth a shot.

"I see-"

"But," the teen interrupted, "he does like coffee. A-And he's free on Wednesday morning..." Hiro mumbled, his voice shrinking towards the end. 

"Yes!" Tadashi threw his arms into the air in success, unable to contain his glee. The gesture caused Hiro to throw his hands up in defense, giving a nervous laugh out of surprise. "Wednesday morning then..." Tadashi dropped his arms and mumbled an embarrassed sorry before giving the other a shy smile. Hiro returned the smile before taking a step to the side. 

"I should probably, uh, get back to work now," He mumbled as he jerked his thumb towards the other side of the bar. There didn't appear to be any customers at the moment, but Tadashi gave him a nod. He watched the bartender make his escape to the other end of the bar, stumbling over his shyness on the way.

\--

It was almost closing time now and the crowd had shrunk by three fourths its size than when Tadashi had entered. He'd thought about leaving a couple times, but each time his eyes would find Hiro and the thought would disperse. Last call had been announced not too long ago and with it came the last rush of the night as everyone tried to get that final drink in. He felt almost sober now, and for the- what was it now? He'd honestly lost count- time that night he watched Hiro work through the orders. 

When mixing a complicated drink the bartender's tongue would slide out of his mouth and stick to his upper lip, his eyebrows meeting in concentration. If a drink called for one of the brands on the higher shelves he'd have to stand on his tip toes to reach for it. In front of the larger bottles, too full to risk dropping, was a small step stool he'd have to use to retrieve them. The completed drinks were passed off with varying smiles. 

Tadashi noticed the drinks that took longer to make received strained smiles, while the simpler ones received smiles that looked more genuine. He snickered, wondering if the teen was aware of it. 

Once all the orders were complete, Hiro wiped his forehead with the sleeve of his uniform and glanced at Tadashi. The man gave a shy wave from his end of the bar, and with a look of curious amusement Hiro wandered over.

"You're still here," The barkeep stated in mild surprise, a slight flush appearing on his cheeks.

"Yup."

"Its closing time y'know."

"Yup." A smirk spread across Tadashi's lips as Hiro stared at him for a few moments.

"You're weird," Hiro finally concluded, shaking his head with a lop sided smile.

"Yup." He broke into a fit of giggles; he must not have been as sober as he thought.

"Well, they're gonna start chasing people out soon," the teen pointed a thumb at the few bouncers that stood at the main entrance. 

"Oh, well, I don't wanna be chased out, now do I?" Patting his pockets, he felt for his phone so he could dial a ride. "I just gotta call a cab seeing as how I sent my ride away." 

"Dude, do you even know how expensive cabs are at this time of night?" 

"Yup," Tadashi had to hold back another giggle as he retrieved his phone. "But its too far to walk home, so." He didn't usually take cabs, so he had to open his web browser to search for the number of the service in the area. A comfortable silence settled between the two as Hiro watched Tadashi.

"You know, I could probably..." Hiro broke the silence, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. "I could probably give you a ride. If you're not too far anyways." His tone was unsure and he must have realized it. He tried to put on a more confident air, leaning against the bar nonchalantly. He fixed the older man with a sly smirk. "I've got a moped though, so I'm afraid you'll have to ride bitch. You cool with that?" 

Feeling rather cheeky himself Tadashi fixed Hiro with a saucy look as he placed his elbow on the bar, resting his chin against his palm.

"That depends. Does 'riding bitch' mean I get to sit in your lap? Or does it mean I get to hold you against me?" He snorted as Hiro's smirk faltered before a look of utter astonishment replaced it completely. The youth's whole face turned bright crimson and Tadashi smacked his knee as he roared with laughter. 

"Wh-Whatever," the flustered bartender stuttered. "If you don't want a r-ride then just say so!" His lower lip stuck out in a pout, crossing his arms in a huff, as he turned away from the older man.

"No, no," Tadashi managed between gasps for air, waving a hand in apology "please. I'd really-" Wheeze. "I'd really appreciate it!" He clutched at his side as he tried to calm down. God, he hadn't laughed that hard in a long while. "Seriously, Hiro. Thank you."

"Yeah whatever. I have to close up, so meet me outside in about twenty minutes." Hiro refused to look at Tadashi out of spite and set himself to his task, prompting Tadashi to finally take his leave from the club.

Tadashi couldn't hold back the laughter that bubbled inside him as he made for the exit.

"Nerd," Hiro mumbled under his breath as he wiped down the counter with a smile.


	3. So you're a nerd then?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I dunno why, but this chapter fought me so bad. y _ y I'm not all that happy with it, but I didn't want to keep trying to fix it when it didn't want me to. OTL;;
> 
> In other news, I finally broke down and made myself a hidashi [side blog.](http://love-pepperminty.tumblr.com) It's still under construction, but eventually I'll be putting my fics on it as well. Feel free to follow me and/or send me messages or prompts if you'd like! (u 7 u )/
> 
> As always, this chapter is unbeta'd and I claim no ownership of anything Big Hero 6.

Tadashi did his best to stay at the speed limit as he rushed to the Lucky Cat Cafe. He had agreed to meet Hiro there for coffee after a text message exchange. The two had never exactly exchanged numbers, so when he received the first message from Hiro the other day he was quite surprised.

>> _S'up nerd? ; ) You ever been to the Lucky Cat Cafe?_

Though he couldn't be one hundred percent sure, the 'nerd' immediately made him think of Hiro.

_Hiro? Yea. That really quaint place on the corner with the calico cat that sleeps on the counter?_

>> _That's the one. Meet me there. Unless you found a law against minors drinking coffee then by all means bail for your life._

_Haha. I know of some pretty dumb laws, but unless they made one sometime between now the other night I think we're in the clear. I'll see you there._

>> _Cool. B )_

He pulled up to the cafe and parked his moped as he checked the time. Looking around, he didn't see Hiro's own ride. Maybe he was the first one here? Bells sounded behind him and he turned to see Hiro leaning against the doorway of the Cafe, holding the door open. 

"I know this is only the second time we've met, but I had you pegged as one of those 'get there early' type of guys." The teen clicked his tongue and shook his head in mock disappointment.

"I usually am," Tadashi confirmed with a laugh. "I just had to check to make sure no new coffee laws were established before I got here." The two stepped inside the cafe and Hiro led the way to a table against the wall. "We're good, by the way," Tadashi added as they sat down.

"I figured."

After properly introducing themselves they made small talk, as the time passed by.

Tadashi learned that Hiro was every bit the wreckless youth he'd thought him to be.

Hiro had graduated early from high school- how early he didn't say. He dabbled in bot fighting a few years ago, but quit when he, himself, got a particularly bad thrashing. He told Tadashi not to worry though, as his bot survived. His job at the club was a safer replacement to hustling, despite it also being illegal. He'd pierced his own ears on a whim when he was 15. Sure enough, Tadashi could just make out the black stud residing in Hiro's earlobe beneath his mess of hair. 

Comparatively, Hiro made Tadashi look like a regular boy scout in his opinion. He'd grown up doing his best to follow the rules and do well in school. The only thing he'd ever done that was remotely frowned upon was share one or two of his friend's special brownies back in high school. Aside from that, he realized his life had been pretty textbook.  
Tadashi explained that he was attending SFIT when the proprietor, Cass Takachiho, wandered over. She seemed to watch Hiro as she bit back an excited smile.

"Hello boys! You two have been sitting here for a while now and haven't once come said hi to me at the counter." With a warm laugh, she nudged the teen's arm and his expression turned nervous. "I'm just kidding! It's pretty slow right now, so I thought I'd come over and see if you two wanted anything?"

"That's very kind of you miss Takachiho. I think I got so caught up in our conversation that I forgot we were even here." Tadashi admitted with a bright smile. "Sorry to trouble you."

"Miss Takachiho," the woman swooned softly before nudging Hiro again- who seemed to be shrinking into his jacket. "It's no trouble at all! In fact, I'll be right back with some drinks and a couple pastries for you two. Free of charge of course!"

"Oh no, I couldn't-" Tadashi began, cut off by Ms Takachiho.

"I insist! Anything for my nephew and his handsome friend. And call me Aunt Cass, sweetie~" With a wink, she left to prepare their treats. 

"Nephew?" Tadashi asked with a raised brow, lowering his gaze to look at Hiro who had sunk completely into his jacket, slumped in his chair. "She's your aunt?" He gave an incredulous laugh as he waited for the teen's reply. With a groan, Hiro pushed himself upright and fixed his jacket. His face was bright red as he ruffled his hair in embarrassment.

"Yeah. I told her not to say anything though!"

"So, you invited me to meet you at your aunt's cafe?"

"Hey, its not my fault we have the best coffee in town!" The teen rushed to defend himself, talking with his hands. "Especially with the sweet upgrades I rigged to the machines in the back! Well, technically I guess it is my fault but-"

"Wait. You upgraded the appliances in the back?" Tadashi's face had gone from amused disbelief to sheer amazement.

"Of course. How else do you expect two people to be able to manage this place on their own without the help of some killer inventions?" Hiro fixed Tadashi with a look of offense, like the older man had assumed he was incapable of such a simple task.

"You _invented_ the upgrades?" 

"Uh, hello? Earth to Tadashi. I just said that." The genius waved a hand in front of Tadashi's face as if to break him of the trance he seemed to be in.

"So... you're a nerd then?" Tadashi tried his best, but the smug grin on his face refused to remain hidden.

"I literally just said-" Hiro froze mid sentence, narrowing his eyes at Tadashi as his mouth pressed into a fine line. Tadashi covered his mouth with a hand to muffle his laughter. "Unbelievable," he grumbled, pinching the bridge of his nose with his index finger and thumb. 

"Sorry, sorry! You just keep getting more and more adorable! I can't help it!" 

"Wait, you think I'm adora-"

"Here you go boys!" Aunt Cass appeared beside the table, placing two mugs and a plate of donuts between them. "A fresh coffee for Mr. Handsome and a hot chocolate for Hiro."

"Aunt Cass," Hiro began to protest. She wouldn't have it though, and shook her head.

"Sweetie, I know you like your coffee, but you're still young. You'll stunt your growth!" With a smile, she pinched the teen's cheek. Tadashi had to bite his lip to keep from chuckling at the affectionate display. It was clear that Hiro's aunt adored him.

"She's right, you know." Tadashi chimed in as he picked up his coffee, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "You've still got a few years of growth left and if I were you, I'd take full advantage." Hiro gave both the adults a glare as he grabbed his hot chocolate.

"You're both just lucky that our hot chocolate is the best too..." He grumbled as took a sip.

\--

The rest of the morning slipped by with aunt Cass only stopping by their table three more times, much to Hiro's dismay. Tadashi had no doubts that she'd have kept wandering over to check on her nephew if she hadn't insisted that Hiro show him the garage. Apparently they had converted it into a make shift lab where the teen worked on his inventions. 

Hiro was about to deny the suggestion when he realized that his aunt couldn't bother them in the garage. With a shrug, he stood from the table and gave Tadashi's arm a nudge before heading through the doorway that lead to the main housing area. Tadashi was about to follow when he paused, turning his head to spot Hiro's aunt. She had watched her nephew enter the back and, when their eyes met, she nodded her silent permission with a smile. He returned the smile and his own thankful nod before following after Hiro.

"I like your aunt. She's really sweet," he said when he caught up to the teen who had waited for him by the home's front door. 

"Yeah, well. You haven't seen her when she's mad," Hiro replied with a laugh before leading Tadashi to the alley beside the cafe. A few steps in and they reached the heavy door to the garage. "Tada," he said as he pulled the door open. 

Looking around, Tadashi had to laugh. The place was a total mess. There were tools, materials, and scraps of paper all over the place; the work benches, the desks, the floor. Even the small couch he spotted in the back had a few tools sitting on the cushions. 

"Wow. So this is it, huh?" Shifting his weight to one leg, he placed his hands on his hips as he continued surveying the space.

"Yup. It's a little messy," Hiro chuckled out of embarrassment, "but I didn't expect a visitor so..." He took a few steps in before turning on his heel to drop into one of the desk chairs. "It's honestly pretty cool when it's clean. I was just working on something a few days ago and haven't had a chance to tidy up since I've been working at the club."

"Hmm," Tadashi hummed as he wandered inside, picking up a few tools and looking them over. Despite the clutter he noticed that they were clean and well kept- aside from the obvious signs of use. "Y'know, I read that a messy work space can actually encourage originality. Not that I'm saying you should keep it this way all the time." He turned the tool in his hand over before setting it back down. "Since you've been so busy lately, why not let me help clean up the place?" 

"What? No. Dude, I can't let you clean up my mess, we've only know each other for, like, a few days," Hiro began, shaking his head.

"And how long do we have to know each other before I can convince you to let me help?" Tadashi asked with a laugh, already collecting what looked to be the younger's notes and ideas together.

"At least a week," Hiro quipped as he hopped up, "and two days." He set about gathering the papers around him despite his words. 

"Uh-huh," Tadashi chuckled, "well, I'm practically half way there so I'll only help you with half then. How bout that?"

"Yea, sure. Any more than half though and I'm gonna have to call my aunt down here," the teen threatened with a grin. It was empty of course, and Tadashi smirked.

"Great! I bet she's got a lot more embarrassing stories about you that she'd love to share with me." He teased, sending a smirk over his shoulder at Hiro.

"Haha. You wish, nerd."

A comfortable silence settled between them as they shuffled around the garage, organizing things. Tadashi had asked Hiro where a few things belonged at first, but he discovered that Hiro's organization style was similar to his own. The discovery made things that much easier.

They finished before they knew it and Tadashi collapsed on the couch with a satisfied sigh. 

"You were right," Tadashi said, throwing his arm over the back of the couch, "it is pretty cool when its clean."

"I know, right?" Hiro looked around, admiring their work. "I think you did a little more than half though." He turned towards Tadashi and crossed his arms, feigning a look of disapproval.

"Oh no. Please don't tell your aunt," Tadashi pleaded. "She might come down and bring more treats that she won't let me pay for." He gave Hiro his best puppy dog look, sticking out his lower lip for added measure. Hiro hummed as he strummed his fingers against his arm.

"I guess I can forgive you this time," he decided with a nod before plopping down on the couch beside Tadashi. "Seriously though," his tone turned genuine, "thanks, man."

"Anytime." 

The silence from earlier returned and Tadashi closed his eyes, feeling content in the moment. He opened them suddenly when he felt a warm weight against him. To his surprise Hiro had scooted closer, snuggling into his side. He felt his heart race as he stared at the top of the teen's head. He was about to say something when he heard a small snore. Craning his neck, his eyes roamed over Hiro's face taking in the tiredness he hadn't recognized before.

How could he have been so inconsiderate? 

He, himself, knew what it was like to work late hours; knew what exhaustion looked and felt like. How did he miss that? Hiro could have been resting the whole time, but he'd practically made the tired teen clean with him. God, he felt terrible. Negative feelings aside, the fact that Hiro was comfortable enough with him to- well, pass out against him had his heart doing a little jig.

Hiro shifted in his sleep, mumbling something about gummy bears. The candid comment shook Tadashi from his thoughts and he bit back a chuckle. If Hiro was so tired that he'd fall asleep that quickly, then Tadashi was just going to have to be his pillow for the next few hours. He wasn't going to complain either. 

Hiro fit so well against him and he shimmied down a bit, making himself more comfortable on the small couch. He gently draped his arm over Hiro's shoulders and, after listening to the younger's steady breathing for a few seconds, nuzzled his nose in the soft raven locks. If he wasn't so sure Hiro was asleep he'd never risk such an intimate gesture so soon after meeting the teen, but he was ninety-eight percent sure and he couldn't resist.

"Sleep well, Hiro," he whispered. With a smile he pressed a kiss to Hiro's head and closed his eyes, settling in to join the slumbering youth.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Feel free to let me know what you think.


End file.
